Happy birthday, Wallyhood: it was 6 years ago this week that the first post appeared. Since then, there have been 4,408 posts and 21,937 comments, if WordPress is to be believed (and 4,291,243 page views, if Google is to be believed).
2015 is going to be a bit different: on March 9th, my wife Michelle, my six-year-old son Zev and I will all three board a plane for Seville, Spain, beginning a three-month (or more) trip abroad. Our plan is to wander around Europe a bit, living in various cities for three to four weeks at a spell: long enough to see the sights, get to know the corner coffeeshop, and maybe make some friends, then on to the next. We haven’t decided where we’ll go after Seville, preferring to let the wind blow us.
I’ll still be working my day job while abroad (the wonders of the Internet: my office can be wherever I flip open my laptop, wifi permitting), but it’s a stretch to think I could continue to write Wallyhood while I’m gone. It would be disservice to you as much as to myself.
I’d love to hear suggestions about what to do with Wallyhood while I’m gone, so that the community can continue to benefit from the platform. In my dreamworld, there’s just a constant flow of articles and news bits written by you all, and somehow curated and edited by you all, as well. I’m not sure how to make that work, though.
Unless there’s someone out there who wants to mind the shop while I’m gone, I’ll likely hang a “Gone Fishing” sign on the site, and post general bulletins only occasionally, as whim and time permit. Of course, even to do that, I’ll need you, the readers, to email me stories and news as complete as possible: I can try to email questions or make the occasional phone call, but again, I’ll be there, not here. The forums will remain open.
If you’re interested in following along, yes, we’ll definitely be blogging our trip. I’ll post info here on where to go for that shortly. And if you know anyone you’d like to introduce us to (especially families with kids!) out that way, please let us know! We’re much more interested in spending time with people who live there than we are in snapping selfies of ourselves next to the Eiffel Tower or checking things off a “bucket list”.
Thanks everyone for reading, contributing, harassing and encouraging all these years. It’s been a ton of fun.
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Thank you so much Jordan for all you have done with Wallyhood blog over the years! I hope it can continue in the fine fashion that you have created but “Gone Fishing” is totally understandable. Best to you and your family in your travels.
Happy Trails, Jordan. Maybe CVS can take over this space.
Have a wonderful trip! What an amazing experience for you and your family. Enjoy and savor every moment.
Don’t hang a sign! I’ll look after the website!
Enjoy the trip. Gimme the keys and I will turn it into a mean spirited pro Gluten NIMBY festival.
Also, are the forums broken?
HA HA, Doug – you always crack me up!
I live in a condo under the Aurora Bridge, but find many Wallyhood articles pertinent to the wider neighborhood. Enjoy Spain. Keep up the good work!
Many thanks, Jordan! Perhaps a retiree who is tech savvy can be a temporary replacement. Safe travels to you and your family.
Thanks, all!
@Frankie, I’ve had a few people mention problem with the forums, but I can’t reproduce it. Can you email me a screenshot of what you’re seeing ([email protected]). I’ll get that fixed before I go, I hope.
Muchas gracias por todo de su trabajo. Que le vaya bien en los viajes. Y lo siento pero yo tambien pienso que CVS pueda usar el espacio.
Have fun. I can take care of the site while you are gone. What do I have to do, feed it twice a day and give it a walk daily?
I can’t explain why it would make any difference, but I’ve managed to work with the forum system by opening things in new tabs, rather than in the same tab by default. Specifically authentication, which otherwise woudn’t stick. If that works somewhat reliably, it woud be a clue, though not one I know how to interpret.
Thanks for what you do, Jordan. Have a great trip!
Jordan,
Have a great trip; I am sure it will be a well deserved break!!
Jordan and family,
Have a wonderful time! Staying in one place for awhile is the best way to visit another place, if you can! Enjoy!
Jordan, I’m curious about possibly keeping the site running. I have blogging experience and maintain my own CMS website. I’m not sure what taking over for a bit would entail… Let me know! Thanks. (Spain sounds wonderful)
Jordan,
How wonderful for you and your family. I moved to Seattle in August and have been following your blog since then. I find it so rewarding to read neighbors with different points of view sharing those views publicly. Seems very important. Just recently I had an idea I hoped to share with you, and this seems like maybe a good time to talk. It might work out well for all of us. Thanks Jordan
I moved to Seattle from out of state last Feb and after moving to Wallingford in August I was very excited to find Wallyhood! I love knowing what’s going on in the neighborhood and since I know very few people in Seattle at all, it’s great to have this community. Best wishes for you and your family while living abroad. I hope that someone else will take over while you’re away. You’ve built something pretty wonderful and it would be sad to lose it.